'Cats no longer a district foe, but still dangerous

MIKE VALLERY Normally when Kilgore High School hooks up with Hallsville High School in any sport, it's a district game.

The Longview-area school, only about 20 minutes away if that, is almost always a district foe for Kilgore, but not this year. The University Interscholastic League, basing its realignment every two Longview a 4A school rather than the larger 5A, and then put all the Longview-area schools including Hallsville in

north-of-Interstate 20 district. District 14-4A, with Whitehouse, Henderson, Jacksonville, Nacogdoches, and Lindale.

But the Bulldogs and Bobcats almost always produce exciting football. Kilgore won four in a row in the series from 2002-05, lost here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium to Hallsville in 2006, but then smashed the Bobcats in 2007, contributing to a seven-loss season for Hallsville.

The Bobcats look to be back, though, in a big way. They sent a message last week with a thorough 42-7 thrashing of normally-strong 2A power Tatum, and have looked good in scrimmages.

"We know their offense because it's pretty much our offense," Kilgore coach Mike Vallery said on Wednesday. "They do a lot of things similar to the way we do things, and they're a pretty good football team right now."

Photo by Lester Murray BIG PLAY — Kilgore wide receiver/defensive back Andrew Ector (left) is pushed out of bounds by a Carthage player, but only after getting a 50-yard kick return that would set up a touchdown. Kilgore (1-0) beat Carthage 33-20 last week, and visits former district rival Hallsville on Friday, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Hallsville (1-0) got a threetouchdown, 137-yard performance from running back A.J. Jones in the win over Tatum, and he didn't even play in the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats led 28-0 at the halftime break, stretched it to 35- 0 before Tatum finally scored, and only allowed Tatum 9 yards of offense in the first half.

It all started early for Hallsville — like, on the opening kick — when Quantrail Johnson took it back 92 yards for the score. Johnson would score again in the game on a 16-yard run that pushed Hallsville's lead to a shocking five touchdowns over a Tatum team that won the Class 2A championship three years ago and the 3A title two seasons ago.

The Eagles didn't score until the fourth quarter.

Salty Carthage put up a little more fight for Kilgore (1-0) in a hot night at R.E. St. John.

"I've been going to all kinds of sporting events here for over 30 years, and that was the hottest football game I've ever sat through," longtime Kilgore-area sports fan Gene Fout told the Kilgore News Herald on Wednesday.

The players for both KHS and Carthage would likely agree. There were problems with cramps for both programs all night.

A turnover, a fumble, by Kilgore allowed Carthage to get the first touchdown of the night, a 19- yard pass from S'Darius Blackshire to tailback Dwight Smith on a pass play. Kilgore tied the game moments later when quarterback Steven McBryde tossed a touchdown pass of his own, a play that Andrew Ector took to the end zone, a 40-yard touchdown. Ryan Bustin kicked the extra point. Bustin was incredible against Carthage — he went 4-for-4 in extra points, a 33-yard field goal and averaged 44 yards per punt.

Kilgore went up 14-7 on a 4- yard interception for a touchdown by defensive end Tyler Dennis, but then saw Blackshire lift his team again, this time on a pass to Jarvin Robinson. Robinson went the distance, 68 yards, and scored, tying the game. But that would be as close as Carthage would get.

McBryde got his second touchdown pass of the game, this time to Xavian Sanders, just before the half to put KHS up 21-14.

Carthage scored again early in the second half on a 76-yard touchdown run by Smith, but the extra point was blocked. KHS took over from there, getting the ball to running backs Frank Reddic, Courtney Maddox and Trevor Moon, and letting the offensive line take control. The Bulldogs got a touchdown from Reddic, a safety on a botched punt attempt, and the 33-yard field goal by Bustin to put the game away, with Reddic's score being the final of the game.

Reddic finished with 107 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Maddox had 46 yards on seven carries. In his first varsity start, McBryde went 6-of-13 for 92 yards and the touchdowns to Ector and Sanders. Also making receptions for Kilgore were Devaron Harvey (one for 8 yards), Moon (one for 10 yards), and Reddic (two for 11 yards).

Kilgore was penalized just five times on the night for 25 yards. The Bulldogs' defense allowed only 127 rushing yards on the night. Blackshire didn't have a bad first half, going 10-of-18 for 194 yards, but didn't complete a pass in the second half and was injured late in the game. Carthage had 321 total yards, and was forced to six three-andouts in 12 possessions.

Moon, a linebacker/safety, led the way with 11 tackles on the night, six unassisted, and was credited with a hurry. Mishaud Austin had nine tackles, and Sabit Bauta, also a linebacker, had four, as did defensive end Dominique Jones, a verbal commitment to the University of Texas. Vince Cano, one of several players that play on both offense and defense, batted down two passes from the defensive tackle position.

The defense didn't commit a penalty the entire night.

Following Friday's game at Hallsville, Kilgore will head back down Highway 80 to Marshall to face the Mavericks, another former district rival. KHS returns home for homecoming on Sept. 19, hosting 3A power Gilmer.

If for whatever reason you can't make it to Hallsville on Friday night, listen to the Bulldogs on 1240-AM, with "Ragin' Red Broadcasting" — that's Doug Smith, Don Hedrick and Ronnie Chappell — on the call.